To the Editor:

There’s nothing new about people wanting and working to achieve greatness. Powers, fame, prestige, being rich are the wordS that one associates with the concept of “greatness.”

But Ben Franklin had another idea in mind. In 1729 he wrote, “If we were as industrious to become good as to make ourselves great, we should become really great by being good, and the number of valuable people would be much increased.”

“But it is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness,” he said. “And I promise it as certain, that there was never yet a truly ‘great person’ who was not at the same time truly virtuous.”

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “You don’t have to do great things to be great, you have to do little things with great love, to be great!”

Which is more important: knowing you are trying to be as good as possible? Or being judged great by others who do not know whether or not you really are good? Leave the judging to God Himself! Enable us to judge our actions and values by your standard, God!

Be great!

Richard Walsh

East Greenwich